As per the Health Warranty and Purchase Agreement, the dog must be spayed or neutered by seven months of age.

As my Vet states you need to weight the options that are best for you and deciding what is best for you and your dog. I can't think of a reason why I would not neuter at male dog at 7 months old if I was keeping it as a perfect pet. Below are my reasons why I would neuter by 7 months old.

At 7 months old the dogs is as tall as it is going to be; so the dogs has it hormones levels during the heavy bone growth stage.

At 7-8 months the male dogs will learn to lift his leg to pee; during his adolescent hormone stage. If you neuter before he learns to lift his leg he will squat to pee the rest of his life. If you neuter after he learns to lift his leg then it is a habit and he will continue to pee on things to mark his territory; furniture, bushes, etc.

At 7-8 months the male dogs during his adolescent hormone stage he will start to sniff out female dogs in heat which dogs can smell several miles away, thus you risk the male dog running off after the scent and being injured or lost, hit by a car, etc.

Females can go in heat at 8 months old and about a month before they go in heat they get uncontrollable. You will think you will never be able to train her. thus, many people give up and re-home their dogs and you find many females young adult dogs in Shelters.

We do not participate in Early Spay and Neuter procedures done at 8 weeks old on our puppies, because our experiences has been that it sets the pups’ weight gain back a week, which is not good during this rapid growth period. Keeping the puppies’ nutrition level up is a huge concern of ours, and we do not feel that young puppies have sufficient body weight to sustain lower levels of food consumption following the procedure. That being said, the research on early spaying and neutering has been inconclusive, so discuss the options with your vet and make the decision with which you’re most comfortable. Research shows puppies that were spayed or neutered early age have offset bone growth. Some have longer weaker legs than their breed standard. Showing us that the dogs need their hormones for strong bone growth during their first 7 months.

The following article goes over some of the most important basic commands to teach your puppy, including its name and the commands of come, stay, sit, no/leave it/stop, lay down, and no bark. These commands are critical in that they may help protect your dog (and potentially your property) in dangerous situations such as running into traffic or chewing inedible objects. The article can be found here: http://www.dogshow.com/the-first-7-lessons-for-puppies/

Eukanuba has been the best puppy food that we’ve tried because it fits the breed’s digestive system well, turning out nice, formed stool. It provides the nutrition required for puppy learning, growth and development, digestive health, immune system health, lean muscle development, and healthy skin and coat maintenance.

We feed the petites and minis the Small Breed Puppy formula, and the mediums and standards the Puppy Growth formula, which just has larger kibble bites. The Puppy Growth formula is appropriate for smaller pups as well, if the other formula is unavailable. These puppy formulas are appropriate for dogs 1-12 months old. The bags have daily feed guidelines, though your puppy might need more food depending on its age, activity, and temperament. Remember to have clean, fresh water available for your puppy as well.

We ask that you do not switch food for the first few weeks that you have your puppy. If you do switch foods, the transition should be done over several weeks.

For treats, we recommend fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and broccoli. You can also use the NuVet Supplements as treats (one supplement daily); they’ll help build your pup’s immune system, plus your pup will love the taste!

This is a trick we learned from a trainer. When the pup jumps on you, gently step on its hind paws and say “no.” Do this each time it jumps and eventually you should be able to transition to jus saying “no” and putting your hand out flat as a hand signal. Be sure to stop this behavior at a young age because it will be a difficult habit to break as your pup ages and grows.

The puppy will most likely cry the first night because it has learned that whining earns attention. Regardless of the whining, you should still be crate training. It is important not to give into the whining so that your puppy learns that it’ll have to stay in the crate; in other words, do not get your puppy out of the crate while it’s whining! If the puppy starts to whimper after a few hours of sleep, however, it’s is most likely telling you that it needs to potty. Take it outside and straight back to the crate so that it does not think it’s time to play. Don’t worry – in most cases, the whining only lasts for one or two nights.

To make the puppy more comfortable, you can fill an empty two-liter soft drink bottle with warm to hot water, wrap it in a towel, and place it in the crate so the puppy feels like it’s sleeping next to a litter mate. Other than the water bottle, however, I do not recommend putting anything in the crate, lest the puppy plays rather than sleeps.

We believe it is best to crate train your dog until you are completely satisfied that it will not get into trouble when left alone. Whenever you are not able to watch your puppy for signs of needing to go outside, such as when you are cooking, eating, showering, or sleeping, you should crate the puppy. The puppy will regard the crate as a safe zone, such as a wild animal would its den. For that reason, the crate is not and should not be treated as a punishment area.

On the first day you have your puppy in its new home, take it outside to its designated potty area every half hour. On the second day, take it out every hour. If there are no accidents, you can adjust to every hour and half on the third day, and to two hours by the fourth day. Two hours would be the maximum amount of time not to go out during the day if the young puppy is running about and playing. If the puppy is alone in a crate it will mostly sleep, since it doesn’t have water or food he can hold his bladder longer. To help reduce nighttime potty breaks, take food away after 6:00 PM and water after 7:00 PM. In the morning, take the puppy outside immediately, since it’s been holding its bladder all night.

We recommend that you tie a large bell or two to your doorknob with ribbon, low enough for the puppy to reach with its nose, and teach it to ring the bell each time before you let it outside. This works great in a large home or very active homes where you are not always aware of the poor puppy patiently waiting by the door.

Potty training normally takes around a week. Do not blame or punish your puppy if it does soil in the house, for it is just a baby and will not know why you are upset. Plus, an accident also means that you missed the signs that your puppy needed to go outside.

We suggest crating the puppy or layering old towels three or four deep on the car seat or on your lap. It is not necessary for you to buy a small crate simply for transporting the puppy, however, as it’ll outgrow it quickly.

The car is a new environment and your puppy will most likely just sleep. If the puppy wakes up and wants to move around, it probably needs to potty. Use the collar/leash combo for stops during your drive. Some puppies will get car sick, so take a trash bag, paper towels, and wet wipes as a precaution. You can additionally layer the bottom of the crate with shredded paper (which I’ll happily provide upon request) to keep the puppy clean if it does get sick.

In addition to what we provide with your puppy, you will need to buy a crate and playpen, food and feeding supplies (buy stainless steel bowls for bacteria control) , grooming supplies, cleaning supplies, and a variety of toys. For a detailed list of needed supplies, please visit the “Puppy Essentials” page. This page highlights the Puppy Essentials Package, which includes all of the necessities at a wholesale price, shipped to your home; it’s a very convenient option!

Basic obedience training is so critical that it is actually stipulated in the maintenance section of the “Warranty and Purchase Agreement”. While we do start to teach our puppies manners such as sitting and not jumping, they are incapable of learning much else at such an early age.

Goldendoodles are easy to train, but you still need to take the time to train them, lest you end up with unwanted behavioral problems. Training will help you earn your dog’s respect and will also protect your dog (and potentially your property) in dangerous situations such as running into traffic or chewing inedible objects. We recommend the following article, which discusses the importance of teaching your puppy its name and the commands of come, stay, sit, no/leave it/stop, lay down, and no bark. The article can be found here: http://www.dogshow.com/the-first-7-lessons-for-puppies/

Early Neurological Stimulation is a practice developed by the U.S. military for their canine program. The practice boosts intelligence, instills trust, enhances training, increases tolerance to stress, and improves health. The practice consists of a series of daily exercises conducted from the third day through the sixteenth day of the puppies’ lives. The exercises stimulate the puppies in ways that do not naturally occur during this early period of life. The exercises include tickling between the toes; holding the head erect; holding the head pointed down; holding the pup on its back; and placing the feet on a cool, damp towel.

In addition, we advise owners to hold their puppies on their backs and to rub their paws, snout, and belly. This daily routine will further instill trust between you and your puppy and teach them to be obedient.

I have learned over the years that young puppies should not be over-stimulated; some breeders raise puppies inside their busy homes and such stimulation can result in hyper, crazy dogs. Considering, we have a separate nursery building that has a controlled environment for the puppies. As they age, we gradually introduce them to people, children, other pets, radio, startling noises, etc. We also use an Early Neurological Stimulation Practice with our puppies to boost intelligence and enhance their training. This practice is described in further detail in the following question.

We say that we breed for temperament because we are very intentional about breeding dogs that have desirable personalities. We focus on breeding dogs that are friendly, reliable, eager, alert, trustworthy, and self-confident; we deliberately avoid breeding dogs that are hostile, timid, or nervous.

Personality and temperament are affected by genetics, which is why Goldendoodles are known for being calm, affectionate, and intelligent, reflecting the best traits of Golden Retrievers and Poodles. If the parent dogs have bad personalities, however, even if they’re not representative of the breed as a whole, the offspring may develop similar traits. For example, the smaller poodles have more personality quirks due to the rapid downsizing of the breed. In our breeding program at Hilltop Pups, we take the time to develop smaller poodle lines to avoid such quirks.

Nuvet Plus is an immune builder supplement that provides your pet with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. We begin giving our puppies the supplements at six weeks of age, around the time they receive their first set of vaccines. The efficacy of the vaccines depends on the strength and response of the immune system, so the supplements help with that process. We have witnessed health transformations in our dogs with the assistance of NuVet Plus, including improvement in coat color and in OFA hip test scores. Considering, we firmly believe that the supplements will help increase your dog’s longevity and quality of life.

Dear New Puppy Parent,

As a dog breeder, animal health is my top priority. That’s why NuVet Plus immune system builder is required as part of your pet’s Health Guarantee extension.

Initially your pup is receiving most of his immunity from his Mom through the milk, but once weaned he needs help to build his own immunity to protect him in his new environment (see attachment). NuVet was specifically formulated with potent antioxidants to assist your pup during this trying period and for years to come. He is already enjoying it as a treat and will be looking forward to it at your home. Please order prior to receiving your pup

Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are using NuVet to protect against most ailments (from back yard pesticides, pet food allergies and hormones, toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting, ailments transmitted from dog parks and the vet’s office, etc), while maintaining a beautiful skin and coat.

This is not just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life.

P For younger dogs (under 2 years old), it strengthens their immune system, while building and strengthening the cardiovascular, skeletal and nerve systems.

P For dogs in their prime (age 2-8), it improves the luster of their skin and coat while protecting against allergies, skin and coat problems, staining from tears, digestive problems, etc.

P For older dogs (over 8 years old), it helps protect against, tumors, premature aging, cataracts, heart conditions, diabetes and many types of cancer, while extending the life and improving the vitality of many dogs.

I highly recommend NuVet Plus to keep your pet on the path to perfect health! It’s not available in stores, and is only available to the general public with an order code from an authorized pet professional.

For your convenience, you may order directly from the manufacturer by calling 800-474-7044 and using Order Code: 91606, or ordering online at www.nuvet.com/91606. You can also save an additional 15% and assure you never run out of NuVet by choosing the “AutoShip” option at check out.

Buying from an experienced breeder will increase the chance of buying a physically, genetically, and emotionally healthy puppy. Here at Hilltop Pups, we have conducted exhaustive research on breeding strategies and on the health of Poodles, Golden Retrievers, and Goldendoodles. Additionally, we use our experiences with past litters to guide and alert us to any health issues that could arise out of our bloodlines. We invest significant time, energy, and resources into making sure our parent dogs are well cared for and in the best health possible; we do not breed parent dogs that do not meet our health standards.

Maintaining health standards is particularly important for breeds mixed with Golden Retrievers, as they are in the highest risk group for hip concerns. The Golden Retriever’s rapid rise in popularity in U.S. households led to a reduction in the integrity of the breed’s health as puppy mills and backyard breeders increased production to meet the demand. We test all of our parent dogs’ hips and guarantee the hips of our puppies in our 2 year warranty.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive 2 year health warranty for all of our puppies, which may be extended to 3 years of coverage with the continuous provision of NuVet Supplements to your pup. Qualifying genetic defects for reimbursement include those related to the hips, heart, elbows, and eyes, as well as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD). Puppies are also guaranteed against fatal viruses, including distemper, parvo, and corona, for 72 hours from the time of purchase. Additionally, in the rare case of death by genetic issue, puppies under 2 years of age will be replaced. Our warranty can be reviewed in full on our “Warranty” page.

At two weeks of age, we start our pups on a stringent deworming schedule and at six weeks of age, we vaccinate our pups against distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Please note that your pup will still have to go through a couple more rounds of vaccinations at your vet before it is fully protected against these diseases. As such, be sure to take precautions against exposing your puppy to unfamiliar dogs or places where dogs have frequented.

Proof through parentage is a method of confirmation that a dog does not have an inheritable disease. It means that, although a dog was not directly tested for a disease, it has been cleared of the disease because its parents were tested and were cleared of the disease.

Health testing at Hilltop Pups is ongoing as new DNA tests become available. We prioritize breed-specific diseases, targeting those that cause early death (cancer, uncontrollable epilepsy, severe heart disease, swallowing disorders, and severe immune-mediated diseases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia and muscular distrophy) and significant reductions in quality of life (moderate-to-severe elbow and hip dysplasia, moderate heart disease, progressive retinal atrophy, von Willebrand disease, osteochondritis dissecans, atopic dermatitis, severe ear infections, and lupus). The world of DNA testing is developing quickly and we strive to keep up with new developments; Optimal Selection is our current go to testing facility as they test each dog for all canine diseases, just in case some breeder way back in the pedigree didn't fully disclose or didn't know the dog had a different breed mixed in, just because they register the dog full blooded doesn't mean another dog didn't sneak in as in the world of teacup and toy poodles; they all derived from Standard Poodles weighing an average of 55 lbs.

Parent dogs at Hilltop Pups are tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for the health of their hips, elbows, hearts, and patellae (knee caps). Yearly eye certification by a board certified ophthalmologist is conducted to verify that the parent dogs are clear of 32 eye diseases. Additionally, DNA testing is used to determine whether parent dogs carry breed-specific diseases such as canine degenerative myelopathy (DM), multidrug resistance to cancer (MDR1), progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd-PRA), and von Willebrand disease (vWD). You can view the health test results for each of our dogs on the “Meet the Parents” subpages.

We have spent a lot of time researching and seeking out the healthiest dogs to breed – dogs with strong pedigrees and long, healthy ancestry records. Our search has taken us worldwide and has led us to import dogs from Russia, Ireland, Germany, and France. We know our dogs, their health history, and their ancestors; in fact, many of our dogs are now third and fourth generation Hilltop Pups.

In an effort to limit the prevalence of cancer in our dogs, we breed English Golden Retrievers as opposed to American Golden Retrievers. Our Golden Retrievers and many of our Poodles come from bloodlines that are registered through the Russian Kynological Federation (RKF), which requires the dogs to have been health tested back 20 years into their ancestry.

In addition to lineage, we also health test all of our parent dogs. Whenever we have a potential breeding dog that has a negative health test result, we place it in a loving forever home or donate it to serve as a therapy or service dog. We only keep the healthiest bloodlines going in our breeding program.

We use health test results to determine which dogs are best for our breeding program. Knowing the status of our dogs’ health and their lineage helps us decide which matings are most appropriate for producing the healthiest offspring. While testing parent dogs does not guarantee that the puppies will be free of disease or health complications, it does significantly decrease the chance of them developing such health concerns. Of course, quality of life and health also depend on lifestyle, healthy foods, and exercise in addition to responsible breeding.

Hybrid vigor is a phenomenon in animal breeding referring to the fact that the first cross between two unrelated purebred lines is healthier than either parent line; with each successive generation, vigor is decreased.

Even with the benefit of hybrid vigor, the importance of responsible breeding in creating healthy dogs should not be underestimated. At Hilltop Pups, genetic testing starts with the first mating of a Golden Retriever to a Poodle. Furthermore, future generations are only bred from the healthiest parents so as to produce long, healthy bloodlines. So while F1s have the greatest hybrid vigor, all generations of Hilltop Pups are expertly bred to be of excellent health and temperament.

Yes, there are many organizations that register Goldendoodles, but the Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA) and the Continental Kennel Club (CKC) are our preferences. GANA does a great job of verifying pedigrees to ensure that the Goldendoodle can be traced back to the original American Kennel Club (AKC) breeds; in fact, their pedigree history tracking is very similar to the AKC’s process. The purpose of GANA is to document the breed’s ancestry so as to protect and standardize the breed and to ultimately enable Goldendoodles to become an AKC registered breed. You may register your Goldendoodle with GANA using the registration application sent home with your puppy.

Our puppies’ coats come in white, cream, gold, red, gold with white markings, red with white markings, and parti-colored (white with spots). The darker colors are more common in second and third generation pups, where the English Golden Retriever bloodline is not as prominent. While we do try to estimate coat color based on our years of experience, please be aware that the color of Goldendoodles, just like Poodles, can change as they get older; some get darker and some get lighter.

Teddy Bear Goldendoodles have an English Golden Retriever bloodline, as opposed to an American Golden Retriever bloodline. English Golden Retrievers are smaller in size and shorter in body and leg length. They have large square heads and short thick snouts. They are also lighter in color than the American Golden Retrievers, with a white to cream color range. As a result of their lineage, English Goldendoodles have beautiful boxy heads that give them a “teddy bear” appearance and creamy white coats (especially in the first generation) that are softer in texture and mat less.

GANA recognizes the adult measurements listed below, though they are still only approximations as several factors go into determining a dog’s size. Note that the height measurements are taken at the withers, or the front shoulders.

Goldendoodles are hypoallergenic, meaning that they cause fewer allergic reactions than other dogs. Multigeneration goldendoodles and those with curlier coats are non-shedding dogs and therefore are most appropriate for individuals with severe allergies. Please refer to the question above on coat types for further detail on shedding and allergies. It is important to note that no dog is allergy-proof and that we cannot guarantee against shedding or allergic reactions.

Wavy to curly: light shedding; appropriate for mild and some moderate allergies

Flat/short wavy coat: moderate shedding; appropriate for those wanting the look of a Golden Retriever with less shedding

First generation backcross (F1B) coats:

Curly: no shedding; appropriate for severe allergies

Wavy to curly: no shedding; most appropriate for mild and moderate allergies

Multigeneration (F2, F2B, F3, F3B) coats:

Curly: no shedding and minimal grooming; appropriate for severe allergies

Wavy to curly: no shedding and minimal grooming; appropriate for severe allergies

What sets Hilltop Pups apart from other breeders is DNA testing of the coat types of our Goldendoodles, thus any of the coats of our multi generation Goldendoodles will be non-shedding, because the parent dogs of our multi generation breeds have been DNA tested for the coat types. We only breed dogs with FURNISHING factor combinations OR F/F bred to F/F or F/IC bred to F/F; both produce the F/F and F/IC which mean they have Furnishings like a poodle. So even the wavy to curly puppies do not shed:) Most of the multi generation Goldendoodles have the thick shag "wavy to curly" coats and a few may have curly coats, at the multi gen level the Goldendoodles all start looking more similar; a beautiful thick wavy to curly shag coat.

Keeping that in mind to explain the IC/IC coat of the Golden Retrievers and most poodles have an F/F coat for the F1 = first generation being the wild card. You could have 9 puppies in a litter and 3 different coat types with the odds being that 1/3 of the litter will shed. So the further you are up on the pick list the better chance of getting the coat type you desire as some people do want the flat wavy coats as those are known as Comfort Retrievers a smaller less shedding version of the Golden Retriever. Basically in the F1 you are not going to get a Goldendoodle that looks like a Golden Retriever and be non-shedding. If I list a puppy as wavy it will shed. Wavy to curly in the F1 category means it may or may not shed. Curly in the F1 will not shed but there may only be one or two in the litter. That is about the shortest explanation I can give on the genetic makeup of non-shed DNA testing; as I have went to seminars where a speaking can speak all day on the subject and have your head spinning.

Goldendoodles have wonderfully calm, loving, and intelligent personalities, as do their parent breeds. We highly value these traits in our goldendoodle puppies and therefore ensure that our breeding dogs have desirable personalities in addition to excellent health. We further boost the intelligence of our puppies by using the Early Neurological Stimulation Practice developed by the military. It is my belief that the practice builds trust between man and animal, allowing the puppy to trust and obey. The stimulation consists of rubbing the bottoms of their feet, bellies, noses, and ears.

We wholeheartedly recommend goldendoodles as family pets because of their intelligence, obedience, and patience. They are easy to train and to socialize with children, and they have an innate desire to please their families. They are not aggressive in nature and are very calm and patient with children. Even so, it is prudent to provide your dog with basic obedience training and to teach your children how to respectfully interact with your pet.

Depending on the coat types of all the parent dogs in a breeding if they have the wavy thin coat such as a lot of F1b wavy coated dogs have; then they are crossed back to a poodle to get the fuller coat and still be the wavy to curly shag looking coats; the F2b coat types have quickly become the preferred coat type of my customers as 95% of the F2b puppies get the wavy to curly shag looking coats and illuminates the curly coats. Its all in the genetic testing to design the coat type and figure out if the parent dogs have inherited more GR or Poodle.

The information on the web is vague regarding the health beyond the breeding of F1’s because it varies so much depending on breeder practices. If a breeder is not health testing their dogs they are crossing their figures and praying to produce puppies with hybrid vigor; which refers to the mating of two different breeds to decrease inherit traits as in the F1 Generation. In regards to diseases such as PRA, vWD, and GR-PRA both parent dogs must be positive or both carrier s for the offspring to have the disease. This is why DNA health testing is important as only one parent dog needs to be negative of the disease for the off spring to clear of the disease. All Hilltop Pups’ dogs are fully DNA tested ; so all future generations produced at Hilltop Pups are as healthy as the First Generation “F1”.